Discorso su Offerta Formativa e Coinvolgimento Accademico
La riunione congiunta della Sezione INFN sull'area di Interazioni Fondamentali dell'università ha come obiettivo discutere sull'offerta formativa per i corsi di Laurea Triennali e Magistrali in Fisica, con focus sul coinvolgimento accademico e sulla creazione di una commissione per analisi continua. Alcuni aspetti generali riguardano i livelli di coinvolgimento accademico e le sedute di laurea. Sono inoltre presentati i Percorsi di Eccellenza e le relative regole e opportunità per gli studenti.
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Depression BRACY HEINLEIN
What is Depression? Depression: a mood disorder that affects the way you think, feel and behave. It causes feelings of sadness or hopelessness Can last a few minutes, hours, days, or years Mood disorders, such as depression, that hit early in life are often more severe than the forms that hit later in life. There are different types of depression: Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) Perinatal depression Psychotic depression Season Affective Disorder Bipolar Disorder Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) severe, long lasting, intense form of depression. Also called clinical depression or major depression
Major Depressive Disorder Average age of onset is 32 ~14.8 million adults in the U.S. (over 18) are affected by MDD each year. Occurs in about 1 in 33 children and 1 in 8 teens. Symptoms: Significant interference with daily activities School, work, social events, etc. Impact mood and behavior Impact physical functions Sleep, appetite, etc.
Diagnosing MDD Must display five or more of the following symptoms at least once a day over the course of two weeks: Persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness Lack of interest in doing most activities, including those you once enjoyed. Decrease or increase in appetite accompanied by extreme weight loss or gain. Sleeping too much or too little. Restlessness Fatigue Excessive or inappropriate feelings of guilt or worthlessness. Difficulty making decisions, thinking, and concentrating. Multiple thoughts of death or suicide. A suicide attempt.
Factors of MDD Genetics: people with a family history of MDD are more likely to develop the disorder. Stress: a stressful life event can trigger and episode of MDD Biochemical Reactions: chemicals in the brains of people with MDD seem to function differently Hormone Imbalances: changes in the balance of hormones may trigger MDD
Depression and the Brain There have been studies that show a change in brain activity when mood shifts, now there are studies that show a change in brain shape associated with severe mood disorders. If mood symptoms are prolonged and/or severe, areas such as the hippocampus and frontal lobes are shown to shrink This atrophy has long been associated with Alzheimer s dementia, but has also been recently shown in cases of obesity, back pain, and very clearly with depression.
Brain Regions & Depression - Hippocampus Hippocampus Stores memories and regulates the production of hormone cortisol. Cortisol: Made by the adrenal glands Goes up when the pituitary gland releases the hormone ACTH Helps body use sugar and fat for energy, and to manage stress Released during times of physical and mental stress, including times of depression. Problems can occur when excessive amounts are sent to the brain.
Hippocampus Cont. Healthy Brain: neurons are produced throughout a person s adult life in a part of the hippocampus called the dentate gyrus. People with MDD: the long-term exposure to increased cortisol levels can slow the production of new neurons and cause the neurons in the hippocampus to shrink. Leading to memory problems.
Case Study In The Journal of Neuroscience, researchers studied 24 women who had a history of depression. On average, the hippocampus was 9%-13% smaller in depressed women compared with those who were not depressed. More bouts of depression a woman had, the smaller the hippocampus. Stress may play a role, experts believe stress can suppress the production of new neurons in the hippocampus.
Brain Regions & Depression Prefrontal Cortex Prefrontal Cortex Responsible for regulating emotions, making decisions, and forming memories. Cortisol: Excess amounts cause the prefrontal lobe to shrink.
Brain Regions & Depression - Amygdala Amygdala Part of the limbic system. Facilitates emotional responses, such as anger, sorrow, pleasure, fear, and sexual arousal. Cortisol: The amygdala becomes enlarged and more active in people with MDD as a result of constant exposure to high levels of cortisol. Enlarged and hyperactive amygdala, along with abnormal activity in other parts of the brain, can result in: Disturbances in sleep and activity patterns Cause the body to release irregular amounts of hormones and other chemicals, resulting in further complications.
Causes of Depression Depression doesn t occur from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals. Many factors could be at play as well as many chemicals. Possible Causes: Faulty mood regulation by the brain Genetic vulnerability Stressful life events Medications Medical problems
Causes Cont. Major impacts on depression: Nerve cell connections Nerve cell growth The functioning of nerve circuits Chemical Balance within the brain and body
When the Neurotransmitter System Falters Brain cells usually produce levels of neurotransmitters that keep senses, learning, movements, and moods moving along normally. For those who are severely depressed or manic, the complex systems that accomplish this balance go awry.
System Falters Cont. Receptors may become oversensitive or insensitive to a specific neurotransmitter. causing their response to its release to be excessive or inadequate. Message might be weakened if the originating cell pumps out too little of a neurotransmitter if an overly efficient reuptake removes too much before the molecules have the chance to bind to the receptors on the other neurons.
Neurotransmitters that Play a Role in Depression Acetylcholine Serotonin Norepinephrine Dopamine Glutamate GABA
Genes and Depression Throughout life, different genes turn off and on, so that, usually, they make the right proteins at the right time. If these genes get it wrong, however, they can alter a person s biology in a way that results in their mood becoming unstable. In a genetically vulnerable person, any stress can then push this system off balance.
Genes and Depression Cont. Goals of gene research in regards to depression: To pinpoint the genes involved in mood disorders and better understand their functions. Treatments can become more individualized and more successful To understand how, exactly, biology makes certain people vulnerable to depression. Ex: several genes influence the stress response, leaving us more or less likely to become depressed in response to trouble.
Genes and Depression Cont. 2003: Researchers found that people with a particular variant in serotonin-transporter gene (5- HTT) were more likely to become depressed in response to stress. The gene comes in short (less efficient) and long (more efficient) versions. Short versions of the gene tend to put people at a disadvantage if they experience stressful life events. People with a variation in the DNA sequence named G1463A are more likely to have major depression than those who don t.
Temperament/World View Development of view points occur early on. People learn to automatically fall back on it when loss, disappointment, or rejection occurs. Temperament is thought to have a hand in depression, although it is not as major as the other possible causes.
Stressful Life Events Most people who face major stresses do not develop a mood disorder. Stress itself, however, dose play an important role in depression. When genetics, biology, and stressful life situations come together, depression can result.
Stress and Depression Stress triggers a chain of chemical reactions and responses in the body. If the stress is short-lived, the body usually returns to normal. When stress is chronic or the system gets stuck in overdrive, changes in the body and brain can be long-lasting.
Stress Response Stress response: Signal sent from the hypothalamus through the secretion of corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH). CRH stimulates the pituitary gland s secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) ACTH prompts the adrenal glands release of cortisol Normally, a feedback loop allows the body to turn off fight-or-flight defenses when the threat passes. If the feedback loop is faulty, the cortisol levels end up rising too often or simply staying high.
Seasonal Affective Disorder Seasonal Depression affects about 1-2% of the U.S. population, mainly women and young people. Seems to be triggered by more limited exposure to daylight. Symptoms: Lethargy Loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed Irritability Inability to concentrate Change in sleep patterns, appetite, or both
Medical Problems and Depression Medical illnesses or medications are thought to be the root of up to 10-15% of all depressions. Most common culprits: Excess of thyroid hormone leads to manic symptoms Too little thyroid hormone leads to exhaustion and depression. Heart disease Depression can also exacerbate heart problems as well.
Treatment Psychological counseling and Psychotherapy Antidepressants Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Balancing the amount of cortisol and other chemicals in the brain can help reverse any shrinkage of the hippocampus and treat memory problems. Correcting the body s chemical levels can help reduce symptoms of MDD.
Antidepressants The medications immediately boost the concentration of neurotransmitters. Generating new neurons, strengthening nerve cell connections, and improving the exchange of info between nerve circuits. People usually don t start feeling better for several weeks. Reason? May be that mood only improves as nerves grow and form new connections a process that takes weeks. 2003 study in Science: Found the when neurogenesis is blocked in mice, the benefits of antidepressants seem to disappear.
Common Medications: Selective serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants Norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs) Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) Atypical Antidepressants
Other Ways to Improve Brain Health and Recover from MDD Eat healthy foods and stay active Stimulates brain cells and strengthens communication between brain cells. Sleep well Helps grow and repair brain cells Avoid alcohol and illegal drugs Can destroy brain cells
References Depression. National Institutes of Mental Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Oct. 2016. Web. 10 Apr. 2017. Legg, Timothy J., PhD. The Effects of Depression on the Brain. Healthline. Healthline Media, 29 Feb. 2016. Web. 10 Apr. 2017. Manji, Husseini, PhD. Chapter 6: What Happens inside People s Brains When They re PsychEducation. James R. Phelps M.D., Dec. 2014. Web. 10 Apr. 2017. What Causes Depression? Harvard Health. Harvard University, June 209. Wed. 10 Apr. Depressed? 2017.
